Asian song festival in Bali

Asian song festival in Bali

JAKARTA: Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono has agreed to open
the 1996 Asian Song Festival which will be held in Bali on March
30, the organizers said yesterday.

Sadikin Zuchra, chairman of the Association of Song Artists
and Composers, said Moerdiono may even have a surprise in store
for the festival. He did not elaborate.

Moerdiono has taken the stage several times in recent years at
song festivals, contributing a number or two of his own, ranging
from rock 'n roll to dangdut.

Sadikin said a symposium on the future of the recording
industry in Asia will be held simultaneously with the festival in
Bali.

Eleven countries have agreed to send their representatives to
the song festival, he added.

Indonesia's 10 entries for the festival are still being
selected out of the 140 submitted songs. The entrants will be
announced on March 17. (emb)